Frequent Stools Were Related to Reduced Quality of Life and Capacity in Daily Activities: Weekly Observations During and After Pelvic or Abdominal Radiotherapy.

Background: Greater knowledge regarding stool frequency and infrequency during pelvic and abdominal irradiation is needed to accurately identify patients at risk of either.

Objective: To describe occurrence of frequent and infrequent stools during pelvic-abdominal radiotherapy, and to compare quality of life (QoL) and activities of daily living (ADLs) of those patients experiencing frequent stools with those of patients experiencing infrequent stools.

Methods: Longitudinally during radiotherapy, 193 patients (64% had gynecological tumors) documented stool frequency, medications, and QoL using the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General.

Methodology Aspects of Nausea Measuring During Pelvic Radiotherapy: Daily Nausea Measuring Is Successful to Identify Patients Experiencing Nausea.

Background: Nausea seems underreported during pelvic radiotherapy.

Objective: The aims of this study were to investigate if a 5-week recall measure of nausea covering the entire radiotherapy period was comparable with accumulated daily nausea measurements and to investigate if the measuring method affected potential difference in quality of life (QoL) between nauseated patients and patients free from nausea.

Methods: This longitudinal methodology study covered 200 patients (mean age, 64 years; 84% women; 69% had gynecological cancer).

Preparedness to Implement Physical Activity and Rehabilitation Guidelines in Routine Primary Care Cancer Rehabilitation: Focus Group Interviews Exploring Rehabilitation Professionals' Perceptions.

To explore primary care professionals' perceptions of physical activity and other cancer rehabilitation practice in cancer survivors, investigating the preparedness to implement guidelines regarding cancer rehabilitation. We collected qualitative data through seven semi-structured focus group interviews with 48 rehabilitation professionals, with mean 9 years of experience in primary care rehabilitation (32 physiotherapists, 15 occupational therapists, and 1 rehabilitation assistant) in a primary care setting. Data was analyzed using content analysis.

Identifying female pelvic cancer survivors with low levels of physical activity after radiotherapy: women with fecal and urinary leakage need additional support.

Objective: To investigate the frequency of physical activity among female pelvic cancer survivors (i.e., gynecological, rectal, and anal cancer survivors) and to investigate if survivors who practiced physical activity less than once a week differed from survivors practicing physical activity at least once a week with respect to urinary and fecal leakage, clinical and sociodemographic characteristics, quality of life (QoL), and depressed and anxious mood.

Understanding rationales for acupuncture treated individuals' beliefs in acupuncture effects, to be able to maximize therapeutic results: A qualitative analysis.

Objective: To investigate how individuals expressed rationales for their beliefs regarding efficacy of acupuncture.

Methods: Qualitative data from participants of two different randomized sham-controlled trials, of relaxing (non-cancer volunteers of the general population) or antiemetic (patients with cancer undergoing radiotherapy) effects of acupuncture was analyzed. Participants (n = 441) received genuine (n = 120 and n = 100) or sham (n = 121 and n = 100) (telescopic blunt sham-needle) relaxing or antiemetic acupuncture.

Type and frequency of side effects during PC6 acupuncture: observations from therapists and patients participating in clinical efficacy trials of acupuncture.

Background: Many therapists practise PC6 acupuncture for emesis (nausea and vomiting) during pregnancy, different cancer therapies, palliative care, after surgery, or to induce relaxing effects in general. Knowledge of side effects is central to shared decision-making.

Aim: To describe the type and frequency of side effects and the level of needle-induced pain during PC6 acupuncture.

Emesis in patients receiving acupuncture, sham acupuncture or standard care during chemo-radiation: A randomized controlled study.

Objective: To study nausea, vomiting and need for rescue antiemetics in patients receiving antiemetic acupuncture, sham acupuncture or standard care during concomitant chemotherapy during pelvic radiotherapy.

Methods: In total, 68 patients participated (75% women, mean age 56 years, 53% had gynecological, 43% colorectal, and 4% other cancer types). Fifty-seven of them were blinded randomized to verum (n=28) or sham (n=29) acupuncture, median 10 sessions.

Complementary and alternative medicine self-care strategies for nausea in patients undergoing abdominal or pelvic irradiation for cancer: A longitudinal observational study of implementation in routine care.

Objective: To longitudinally describe practice of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) self-care strategies for nausea during radiotherapy.

Methods: Two hundred patients daily registered nausea and practice of CAM self-care strategies, beside conventional antiemetic medications, for nausea during abdominal/pelvic irradiation (median five weeks) for gynecological (69%) colorectal (27%) or other tumors (4%).

Results: During radiotherapy, 131 (66%) experienced nausea, and 50 (25%) practiced self-care for nausea at least once, for a mean (m) of 15.

Participation in water-exercising long-term after breast cancer surgery: Experiences of significant factors for continuing exercising as a part of cancer rehabilitation.

Although physical exercising has great benefits, little is known regarding factors of significance for cancer survivors to continue exercising within their rehabilitation. The objective was to describe factors experienced to be of significance for cancer survivors to continue with water-exercising long-term after breast cancer surgery. Women (n = 29) who had undergone breast cancer surgery (mastectomy 79%, axillary surgery 86%, and radiotherapy 86%) for median (md) 13 (25th-75th percentile 3-21.

Patients' and physiotherapists' belief in and use of acupuncture for cancer-related symptoms.

Background: It is important to investigate attitudes to acupuncture, because therapists' and patients' expectations may affect the treatment outcome.

Aim: To explore the use of and belief in acupuncture among oncological physiotherapists and to explore patients' interest in receiving acupuncture during cancer therapy and their belief in its effectiveness.

Methods: 522 patients (80% female, mean age 67 years) reported on their interest in receiving acupuncture for nausea during radiotherapy treatment; a subgroup (n=198) additionally disclosed their belief in the effectiveness of acupuncture.

Reduced Need for Rescue Antiemetics and Improved Capacity to Eat in Patients Receiving Acupuncture Compared to Patients Receiving Sham Acupuncture or Standard Care during Radiotherapy.

To evaluate if consumption of emesis-related care and eating capacity differed between patients receiving verum acupuncture, sham acupuncture, or standard care only during radiotherapy. Patients were randomized to verum ( = 100) or sham ( = 100) acupuncture (telescopic blunt sham needle) (median 12 sessions) and registered daily their consumption of antiemetics and eating capacity. A standard care group ( = 62) received standard care only and delivered these data once More patients in the verum ( = 73 of 89 patients still undergoing radiotherapy; 82%, Relative Risk (RR) 1.

Health-related quality of life and musculoskeletal function in patients with musculoskeletal disorders: after compared to before short-term group-based aqua-exercises.

This study assessed health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and musculoskeletal function in patients with musculoskeletal disorders after participation in group-based aqua-exercising, compared to before participation. Physiotherapists instructed group-based aqua-exercising for 30 min twice a week for 8 weeks in 39 patients (81% women, mean age 55 ± 12 years), with musculoskeletal disorders located in the back (28%), neck (17%), general myalgia (21%), lower extremities (9%), shoulder (7%) and multiple/other regions (18%). Before and after the aqua-exercising, physiotherapists assessed patients' musculoskeletal function categorized using Goal Attainment Scaling, and HRQoL was measured using EuroQol 5 Dimensions (EQ-5D).

Experiences of incontinence and pelvic floor muscle training after gynaecologic cancer treatment.

Purpose: The purpose of the present study is to describe how gynaecological cancer survivors (GCS) experience incontinence in relation to quality of life, their possibilities for physical activity and exercise and their perceptions and experiences of pelvic floor muscle training.

Method: This qualitative interview content analysis study included 13 women (48-82 age) with urinary (n = 10) or faecal (n = 3) incontinence after radiation therapy (n = 2), surgery (n = 5) and surgery and radiation therapy (n = 6) for gynaecological cancer, 0.5-21 years ago.

The Effects of Positive or Neutral Communication during Acupuncture for Relaxing Effects: A Sham-Controlled Randomized Trial.

Introduction. The link between patient-clinician communication and its effect on clinical outcomes is an important clinical issue that is yet to be elucidated. Objective.

WATER EXERCISE COMPARED TO LAND EXERCISE OR STANDARD CARE IN FEMALE CANCER SURVIVORS WITH SECONDARY LYMPHEDEMA.

There are few studies showing that physical exercise can improve secondary lymphedema. We hypothesized that water exercise would be more effective than land exercise in reducing limb volume. Secondary objectives were joint movement, BMI, daily function, well-being, and body image.

High rate of abnormal blood values and vascular complications before diagnosis of myeloproliferative neoplasms.

Background: Vascular complications occurring before the diagnosis of myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN) in 612 patients from four centers in Sweden, Denmark and France were retrospectively studied.

Results: Vascular complications were observed in 151 (25%) of the 612 patients. Of these, 66% occurred during the two years preceding diagnosis.

Acupuncture compared with placebo acupuncture in radiotherapy-induced nausea--a randomized controlled study.

Background: It is not known if verum (real) acupuncture is effective for nausea and vomiting (emesis) during radiotherapy.

Patients And Methods: We randomly treated 215 blinded cancer patients with verum: penetrating 'deqi' creating acupuncture (n = 109) or non-penetrating sham needles (n = 106) two to three times per week. The patients documented emesis daily during the radiotherapy period.

The nonpenetrating telescopic sham needle may blind patients with different characteristics and experiences when treated by several therapists.

Background. Little is known which factors influence the blinding in acupuncture studies. Aim.

Pilot testing of methods for evaluation of acupuncture for emesis during radiotherapy: a randomised single subject experimental design.

Background: Many acupuncture studies are of weak methodological quality, possibly due to lack of pilot testing. This pilot study tested design features, including test of feasibility, compliance to treatment and data collection, level of blinding success and the patients' potential perceived effects of the treatment, in preparation for an efficacy study.

Method: A modified single subject experimental design was conducted.

Getting the grip on nonspecific treatment effects: emesis in patients randomized to acupuncture or sham compared to patients receiving standard care.

Background: It is not known whether or not delivering acupuncture triggers mechanisms cited as placebo and if acupuncture or sham reduces radiotherapy-induced emesis more than standard care.

Methodology/principal Findings: Cancer patients receiving radiotherapy over abdominal/pelvic regions were randomized to verum (penetrating) acupuncture (n = 109; 99 provided data) in the alleged antiemetic acupuncture point PC6 or sham acupuncture (n = 106; 101 provided data) performed with a telescopic non-penetrating needle at a sham point 2-3 times/week during the whole radiotherapy period. The acupuncture cohort was compared to a reference cohort receiving standard care (n = 62; 62 provided data).

Emesis and gastrointestinal problems during radiotherapy: a comparison of performance of daily activities between patients experiencing nausea and patients free from nausea.

Purpose Of The Research: To describe the experiences of nausea, vomiting and gastrointestinal problems during radiotherapy, and to compare patients experiencing nausea with patients not experiencing nausea regarding performance in daily activities, sleeping and eating capacity.

Methods And Sample: A cross-sectional sample of 131 Swedish radiotherapy patients answered a questionnaire regarding the preceding week of radiotherapy. Mean age was 63 years (standard deviation 12.

Can individuals identify if needling was performed with an acupuncture needle or a non-penetrating sham needle?

Unlabelled: A control treatment in acupuncture research must be credible, regardless if the needling is performed by one or by several therapists.

Objective: To investigate if individuals could identify whether needling had been given with an acupuncture needle or a sham needle and if the therapist influenced this ability.

Design: Eighty individuals were randomized to one single needling given by one of four physiotherapists using either an invasive needle or a non-penetrating telescopic sham needle.

One third of patients with radiotherapy-induced nausea consider their antiemetic treatment insufficient.

Objective: To describe the prevalence of nausea and vomiting during radiotherapy and to compare quality of life, psychological and functional status in patients experiencing or not experiencing nausea.

Materials And Methods: A cross-sectional selection of 368 cancer patients treated with radiotherapy answered a questionnaire (=93% answering rate) regarding nausea, vomiting, actual use of and interest in antiemetic treatment, quality of life and psychological and functional status during the preceding week of radiotherapy. Mean age was 60 years and 66% were women.

The influence of donor age, nerve growth factor, and cografting with drosophila cells on survival of peripherally grafted embryonic or fetal rat dorsal root ganglia.

Previous studies have shown that embryonic rat and human dorsal root ganglion (DRG) cells survive grafting to the cavity of extirpated adult rat DRG. Furthermore, grafted human embryonic neurons were shown to send axons peripherally and into the spinal cord, where they establish functional synaptic connections. This study analyzed the survival of orthotopically allografted rat DRG cells from embryonic stages 15 (E15) and 20 (E20), and the influence on their survival of nerve growth factor (NGF).